


Beyond

by nineafternoons



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Kingdoms, M/M, Mentions of reincarnation, Sci-Fi, Soulmates, Violence, super powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-10-26 18:36:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10792401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nineafternoons/pseuds/nineafternoons
Summary: Set in the near future, scientist Yoon Jeonghan develops an alternative engine for a 3000-year voyage to find a New Earth. Upon his wake from a long slumber, he continues his mission along with other scientists to drive the spaceship to what could possibly be a new hope for them and the 30,000 passengers onboard. However, things don’t go according to plan, and instead, he finds himself waking up to a world that resembles a healthy Earth but not quite. There, the plants are greener, the air is cleaner and most importantly, people possess powers that defined their identities and soulmates.As Jeonghan ventures to the new world, where kings and queens ruled the lands, he discovers his own inborn powers, proving the Prophecy in which the completion of the Coterie is what it would take to resolve the war and curse between the Kingdom of Silfheid and the Kingdom of Hilfheim. He meets General Choi Seungcheol thereafter and realizes that all of this is not some dream.





	1. Chapter 1

The vast sea blankets him in such a way that he could only see nothing but darkness and a pinch of what once was the sky.

The sky is blue, resembling the one they had back in Earth, right before it turned into a barren wasteland. It’s friendly to look at. He doesn’t feel warm nor cold; the temperature is just right and it translates into a Goldilocks zone, a place where life is possible. And no, it isn’t about the little girl with golden locks that befriended a family of bears after robbing them of their possessions—it’s about Yoon Jeonghan’s last shot at hope albeit drowning to a bottomless pit without any guarantee of survival. And much like the fairytale, he befriends the water as if it had always meant to be his downfall as it was his reason to live.

So, he falls in the vast sea with no land insight. Time distorts, and for the first time in his life, he had deemed Earth hours as something that was amicable. He hears a voice that initially sounded like a slow rumble, but as it grows over its repetition, it comes into a clear, and it is only then that Jeonghan realizes that it had been a painful reminder of a person he knew all too well.

_Jeonghan, don’t worry. I’ll always be there to protect you._

 

I: _To You, From the Stars_

_“I see skies of blue and clouds of white_

_The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night_

_And I think to myself what a wonderful world.”_

 

What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong

 

“Jeonghan, wake up.”

Jeonghan blinks his eyes open. The first thing he felt upon his wake was the pain that shot up to his spine as he forced himself to sit up. The blanket under him is like one big lump of crease, but it’s comfortable enough to call it a makeshift bed.

“You were crying in your sleep,” Jisung, his co-worker, says.

“Oh, was I?”

“Yeah,” Jisung helps him to his feet. “I couldn’t wake you up because I knew you covered three shifts last night, but then you started crying.”

“Sorry,” Jeonghan mumbles, dusting off his uniform. The white lab coat he wore is somewhat wrinkled, but the privileged and employee patch on his left still stood proudly. He brings his hands up to his face, subtly feeling the dried tears that gathered to the corners of his eyes. “I have to go. Sorry for disturbing you in your shift.”

“It’s fine,” Jisung assures. Behind him, the engine rumbles seamlessly and Dongseok, the guard by the door, shifts in his nap. “The dinner ball is tomorrow, so you have to make an early prep. Captain’s giving you an award.”

“Oh, yeah, right. I-I…forgot. Thanks, Jisung.”

“Always a pleasure,” Jisung says. “Oh, and Dr. Yoon?”

“Hm?”

He opens his mouth with hesitation, but in no less than a second, he succumbs into the uncertainty, shaking his head. “Nothing. Just…get ready for the ball.”

“Alright,” Jeonghan nods, keeping the suspicion at bay. He sees Jisung clutch the clipboard in his hand, thereafter holding it against the small of his back. “Thank you, Jisung.”

Dongseok is still asleep when he leaves and he could feel Jisung eyes on the back of his head up until he had left the automatic sliding doors. He’d been acting peculiar lately, but he’d always reason feeling somewhat out of his body after their 3000-year slumber. It’s been a month since their wake, and while they’re still in the adjustment period, Jeonghan could tell that it was not because of their sleep that Jisung had been acting weird.

They’ve been given a special type of medicine to fight nausea, chronic headaches, and other symptoms that may take affect after resting their bodies for so long. Though, the sleeping pod was engineered to maintain their usual bodily functions without falling into a coma. Thankfully, there hasn’t been any mishap, and everyone had woken up to their assigned dates. The crew was first to wake up, of course, days before the passengers, and Jeonghan vaguely remembers partnering up with Jisung for the medical evaluation. He’s a good friend, always had been, ever since entering the international space station as rookies of their own fields. Jeonghan specialized in hydropower engineering while he took part of the aerospace department as a logistic member instead of being on-field. They were batchmates of sorts, and it’s nice to keep acquaintances closer rather than complete strangers.

They’ve been prominent partners in developing an alternative energy source for the planned 3000-year voyage to a completely different solar system. They were granted a slot to Aurora with their contribution, and have been given the opportunity to head the energy department along with their superiors back in Earth.

Jisung had always been physically able, and if anything, his mental and emotional health are really stellar; he was someone he could lean on, and together, they share the feeling of homesickness and passion towards their goal of finding a new place to start life again.

But lately, he’s been really quiet, brooding in the corner of the department if not pointedly staring at the cylindrical engine for hours to come.

The hallway is accentuated with that of cyan lights. It not only gives direction, but it’s the cabin crew’s way of disseminating information and alerts. It’d change colors according to the type of announcement, but so far, it hadn’t lit red, which meant a bad emergency. The only bad emergency he knows of were shortages or engine failures.

An engine failure…

_Jeonghan?_

Jeonghan whips his head to his back and sees the hallway empty.

_I wish you could see the world in my eyes._

Jeonghan’s chest constricts, subsequently palpitating, face heating up in panic. _“It’s really beautiful,”_ Jeonghan continues, feeling similar to his recurring dreams. “Come out!”

_I’ve always been by your side._

Suddenly, he’s grabbed by the shoulders, and before he got to react, he’s hurled by the narrow hallway by the intersection, right by the stock room of extra repair parts. Albeit Aurora’s definition of a measly room, it’s wide and half the size of the engine room where he often worked. His reflex finally kicks in and he jabs the perpetrator with his elbow, but fails, since the person had let go no later than hearing his muffled threatening screams.

“Jeonghan, it’s me.”

“Jisung, what the fuck,” Jeonghan heaves, clutching his chest, breaking out sweat. The room is humid and dim from being unused. Rows of mechanical parts laid on the shelves, files and emergency instructions stacked by drawers in alphabetical order. There’s a monotonous ceiling fan situated above; no one’s meant to last long in the room, because after all, it’s just for an emergency. “What are you—”

“You’ve been having hallucinations,” Jisung’s tone doesn’t question. It’s an observation. “I’ve been having it, too, but I figured out a way to stop it.”

“How did you know?”

“I saw you in the hallway, and you were whispering weird things in your sleep,” Jisung says. “It was in the serum they gave us during our first medical check-up. It’s slowly going to toast your brain if you don’t remedy it soon.”

“What about the others?”

“Some are not affected,” Jisung replies. “I need to take a sample of your blood to fit the medicine to your capacities. You know of Dr. Kang, correct? He’s developing the remedy in secret. He theorizes that the serum’s side-effect came with a purpose, and he’s out there to figure out what the higher-ups are up to.”

Jeonghan clutches his arm in defense. “How do I know if you’re telling the truth?”

Jisung purses his lips. “Not only are you having hallucinations, but you are having weird dreams, too, right?”

“What does it have to do with anything?”

“It has something to do with everything,” Jisung retorts. “Come on, let’s go to Dr. Kang’s clinic. He could help you.”

Jeonghan stays put. “Jisung, you’re my friend, but this—”

“I’ll tell you the real condition of the engines in exchange—if you would just let us help you.”

“What do you mean?” Jeonghan frowns. “The engines are perfectly fine.”

He said it as if he himself was the one who needed believing. “It’s not,” Jisung retorts. “We’ve entered a what should be an impenetrable galaxy, a whole new solar system under it even, and you think our manmade engines would do just fine? Technology has gone a long way, but not this far.”

“The records, Jisung. We check it every day. And if the engines aren’t working, then why is the ship still—” Jeonghan freezes. “ _No.”_

“They’ve already activated the alternative engine, the one you developed. The main engine and the alternative engine can’t simultaneously work together, because there’s a high probability that the ship’s energy source would combust. The only reason why we only got to record figures was because the engine is still powered, but it isn’t really pumping anything. We ran out of fuel.”

“The alternative engine was never meant to be used,” Jeonghan says carefully, and then with hope, “But it can travel as far as 4.24 light years, which approximates into 9.5 Earth years. We only have 2 Earth years left. We could make it.”

“We can’t, Jeonghan,” Jisung looks devastated, voice straining. “I snuck into the control room a few nights ago…the ship will automatically activate its emergency services once a mishap happens with the main engine.” It was as if he needn’t continue his sentence, because it was obvious from the look of Jeonghan’s that he had figured out the problem—but still, Jisung continues, because it would make it real, and it’s better to accept the crushing weight of it, rather than living with a blind eye. “The alternative engine had already been activated 9.4 Earth years ago. We don’t have much time left.”

 

☆

 

Jeonghan remembers his childhood in a remote mansion, which was the closest thing he’d ever had as a home. He remembers leaving the place at the age of 18 to continue his studies in some place far away, and his reason was not because he’s of age already, but because the mansion had been caught in a huge fire. The orphanage then relocated to someplace else, but it pained him to stay any longer, so he went and found a part-time job while bagging a scholarship at one of the prestigious universities in the country.

But before the tragedy that defined his whole life happened, he thinks back to the time where he has heard of horrible orphanages— _Home for the Angels_ was definitely not one of them. He never really had the opportunity to muster disgust at the name as he’d been in the orphanage ever since he was born; it was nothing but a name that grew on him, and in fact, he had grown rather fond of it over time.

His memories usually consist of sunny afternoons, where the sun would beat down with such vigor that the caretaker would give them the liberty to buy ice popsicle sticks with her own pocket money. He had decided to make a run for the orange flavor since everyone seemed to like the same flavor as he. It was a Sunday afternoon and they had just finished attending their weekly mass at their small, but cozy chapel.

He knew he didn’t have a fat chance to finish first to the kind sir’s ice cream truck. His legs were thin and he didn’t have much stamina to offer either, so as he fell behind the quasi-race, he had opted to walk with a dejected face, but still hoped that an orange flavored ice popsicle would still be available despite many kids buying, when the crowd clears.

 _Home for the Angels_ did stay true to its name because of their perpetual church days, and caretakers naming unidentified orphans after angels and variations of the word itself. Jeonghan remained as Jeonghan, however, because when he was placed by the doormat of the house, all bundled up with blankets, laying on a nest-like cradle, there had been a note. It was his name.

And here was another reason why _Home for the Angels_ lived up to its name.

 _“Jeonghannie!”_ A boy calls. They are of the same age. He notices Jeonghan without any popsicle in hand. _“You didn’t get to buy a popsicle?”_

 _“I was too slow…”_ little Jeonghan says, swinging his feet that hovered above the ground as he sat on the high edge of a dormant fountain.

 _“Here, you can have half of mine,”_ the boy says, sitting right next to him. Both of his feet dangle, too. They’re about the same height. He breaks the popsicle into half before it can melt, and hands the stick to Jeonghan. _“Go on, take it.”_

The boy is probably his only friend. He was the only one who had the courage to befriend him or even go near him. Jeonghan is either feared or was made a laughing stock because of the scary birthmark etched on his right wrist. Instead of being afraid, the boy had complimented the mark, noting how it looked like a circle of fire, while the one below it was shaped like a drop of water. Jeonghan never thought of it that way. He had always assumed that it was just a random clump of discoloration on his skin, but ever since his friend told him that he liked it, he started warming up to it, too.

 _“Thank you,”_ Jeonghan says quietly. _“I’ll pay you back someday since you always do this for me. Sorry if I’m not strong enough…”_

 _“It’s okay!”_ the boy assures. _“Jeonghannie doesn’t have to pressure himself to be strong this early. Besides, I already like Jeonghannie the way he is!”_

 

☆

 

 

 

“Dr. Kang!” Jisung yells, strutting in the said doctor’s clinic as if he owned it. “We have our guest of honor!”

Dr. Kang looks mildly annoyed, his bright composure falling into a grimace once met with Jisung’s taunting face. He then looks at Jeonghan, and it’s only then that he smiles, “I prefer the term ‘patient.’ And just call me Daniel.”

“Yoon Jeonghan,” he says. “I don’t think we’ve met before.”

“Oh, I, uhm, came from a different space station,” Daniel explains, and it seems as if he knew of his visit without him and Jisung saying anything. “I’ve been a Doctor for the longest time, so you don’t need to worry. The remedy I made will heal you in no time.” He gestures him to sit on the bed as he readies the materials needed to take his blood sample. “I’ve heard of your situation thanks to Jisung, so don’t freak out.”

“It’s fine. I gathered.” Jeonghan shifts ever so slightly. The room smells like newly-washed blankets, induced with disinfectants. Dr. Kang’s gums show when he smiles, but it drops whenever Jisung would speak.

“Dr. Kang is the best doctor I’ve ever met,” Jisung announces. It is the maybe the first time Jeonghan has ever seen him taunt, as he is usually lax even in dire situations which required at least a sense of panic. He sees Dr. Kang’s eye twitch.

“Jisung, will you please kindly just…” he looks exasperated. “With all due respect, just shut up.”

“Alright,” Jisung shrugs. “But that’s really not a nice thing to say to someone you owe a favor to.”

“That’s—” He starts, looking aggravated as he covers his hands with disposable gloves. Jeonghan should be scared. “I’m not my ancestors! You should’ve let them pay you when they were still alive!” He then says under his breath, “I can’t believe I left my husband and my son for this.”

“Uhm,” Jeonghan interrupts. He doesn’t question why ancestors have been mentioned, because maybe it was an inside joke he would never understand. However, there’s a situation at hand, a very confusing one at that, and while he appreciated the light exchange before him, he reminds, “The blood sample.”

“Oh,” Daniel blinks. “Right. Sorry. Jisung can be really distracting.”

“It’s alright,” Jeonghan says. “So, you have a family?”

“Can you please take off your lab coat?” Daniel says, “And yes, I do.”

Jeonghan takes off his lab coat in haste. “Really? You said you left them.”

“Not as in _leave them, leave them_ ,” Daniel clarifies, smiling. “We’re all just away from each other for a short while, that’s all. You’ll meet them soon enough.”

Jeonghan frowns. He really needed the remedy. Daniel then instructs, “Can you please lift your right sleeve?”

“Are you sure the remedy will work?”

“It worked on me and on Jisung.” Daniel says. “Should there be any complications in the near future, you are free to punch me, or better yet, drown me. I hope you realize how much I want you to trust my skills right now.”

Jeonghan tentatively lifts his sleeve, squirming slightly when Daniel pointedly stares at his birthmark. Jisung is looking at it, too, taking a break from playing with the crepe bandage rolls, standing where Daniel asked him to. The stretch of silence was long, but before Jeonghan can explain, Daniel lifts his sleeve as well and shows him a birthmark on his right wrist.

“It’s okay, I have one, too,” Daniel tells him with a grin. There’s a leaf-shaped mark in between two vertical throngs of fire.

“A leaf and a fire,” Jeonghan points out. “Sorry—”

“No, you’re absolutely correct. Don’t be sorry. Meanwhile, you have a ring of fire and…a drop of water,” Daniel says the latter slowly, looking at Jisung, who had his eyes for a saucer. “The, uhm, the shapes are pretty cool, right?” He laughs, holding a cotton ball with a tweezer, tapping on the pulse area with a disinfectant. He then reaches for the syringe after having him perform a protocol. “Ready?”

Jeonghan nods, laying back at a comfortable angle. Daniel finishes shortly, bandaging the small wound, subsequently helping Jeonghan to sit up. Jisung walks over, and finally speaks, “We need to talk about the plan.”

Daniel disposes of the syringe and his gloves in a nearby trashcan. He takes a stool and lets Jisung continue. “I don’t think the New Earth they speak of is the answer to our voyage,” he starts. “It’s in the Goldilocks zone, yes, but you’ll be surprised by the little knowledge the higher-ups have of it. I want to propose something new, which is driving the ship to another livable planet, and lucky us, it’s only like, a light millisecond away. It won’t take that long to land there.”

“I know the planet,” Jeonghan inputs, “The one with three natural satellites? We’ve covered it before during our research back in Earth. It’s a Goldilocks zone but it’s impossible to start life there. It’s covered with water and nothing else.”

“No, it’s much more impossible to start life in the New Earth they’re aiming for. Our engines are ruined, remember? If we’re going to crash, at least we do it in the nearest Goldilocks zone. And the thing is, the higher-ups still believe that we can make it.”

“We really have to get to that planet,” Daniel says. “I suggest we do it tomorrow night during the dinner ball. The ship is on autopilot and there won’t be anyone from the higher-ups to guard the wheel. We can only worry about the security, then.”

“Because we’ll be entering its orbit tomorrow,” Jisung adds. “It won’t take too long to dock there—about half an hour tops, if people don’t mind falling on the floor and having champagne all over their dresses and suits.”

“And then I’ll distract the higher-ups during the ceremony,” Jeonghan realizes and then he formulates an idea, “I can alter the engine for longer travel when we’ve already docked. It’s hydro-powered, and in a planet full of its main resource, I can pull it off. We have extra repair parts, too.”

“You got the next point covered already,” Daniel says. “And as much as possible, we keep this from the higher-ups, especially the Captain. Once they find out about our plan, we’ll be kept in prison—no amount of reasoning can get through his head except his own.”

“No,” Jeonghan shakes his head firmly. The opinion of the majority is important to the higher-ups of Aurora, and once they found out about the ship’s situation, they would most likely agree to the next best plan—which is theirs. He doesn’t see any particular reason why it should be kept from the public, except the fear they are protecting them from. They’ve been promised luxury, expensive wine, and over-the-top living quarters, but it doesn’t guarantee the goal beyond what they were looking for.

The passengers are mostly privileged politicians, businessmen and businesswomen, professionals, and a few scientists like them, who made significant contributions during their time in Earth—Jeonghan being the hydro-powered alternative engine fit for space travel. The rest are ordinary citizens who have made an oath to reproduce once they’ve landed on the new planet. Good or bad, they still have families, and their topmost priority is to ensure their lives to safety.

“We should tell them,” Jeonghan proposes, which made both Jisung and Daniel’s eyebrows raise. “Not just the higher-ups, but all the passengers. We just have to resort them into plan wherein they have no other choice but to follow. They required me to deliver a speech during the awarding. I’ll announce it, then.”

“But the higher-ups, they’ll imprison us if we do something like that.”

“Not if you’ve already driven the ship to the planet,” Jeonghan says. “You were one of the engineers who contributed to both the engine maintenance _and_ the helm itself. This is why you’re confident. You can pilot the ship. Before I get to deliver my speech, you should have the ship accelerated toward the planet. It’s more of an explanation rather than an announcement, really. It could work.”

“That’s a good idea actually,” Daniel agrees, turning to Jisung. “I could help ward off the security while you figure out whatever it is you need to figure out. Jeonghan will be the one to give us the signal, and then after we’ve docked and everything, that’s when we’ll deal with the politics.”

“They can’t imprison me, I’ve designed the engine in a way that it could only be altered by me,” Jeonghan says proudly. “I’m the only one who can fix it.”

“I know you can and there’s a chance that this could all work, but,” Jisung purses his lips. “There are fully-functioning emergency ships reserved for the higher class. If anything, they’d save themselves first rather than to save the whole ship. This is why the higher-ups do not want to do anything. They’ve realized that 30,000 passengers are already quite a load.”

 

 

 

 

Jeonghan retreats to his living quarters later that day. It isn’t far from the department itself, thankfully, just a short walk from where he came from. He briskly walks through unbothered eyes and mundane conversations, passing him by without worry. They must’ve been thinking that it’s just another day for work, but for Jeonghan, it’s a day for signing up in a propaganda along with two people with one whom he just met today. He’s exhausted, plopping on his soft bed after taking a warm bath. He doesn’t bother shimming off his white bathrobe because he doesn’t like it when his birthmark is exposed even when he’s alone. All he has are his uniform short-sleeved shirts and unchanging lab gowns for everyday use, and a mandatory suit he remembered saving up for back in Earth for formal events such as the ball tomorrow.

Aurora is named after the fictional princess herself. They’ve argued that its friendly name would give off a welcoming vibe to the passengers since it’s a familiar figure that they grew up with as children. The ship is only to be awakene once it has touched lips with its true love, the New Earth—a planet without any formal name yet—that is, if they don’t find ‘Earth’ a bittersweet reminder of what once was. They’ve dedicated most of their years in the space station studying everything about it, including its solar system, which also held the planet he, Jisung and Daniel talked about earlier.

They’re still moving forward with the plan, except Jisung is unsure of Jeonghan’s proposal of announcing the upcoming downfall of their engines to the whole population of Aurora. In the first place, the government shouldn’t even be keeping secrets. If there’s corruption running underneath the politics of the ship, what more if they board a whole new planet?

Jeonghan sits up, putting on his lab coat and working slacks. If he had a right that should be granted, then it should be with the engine he had developed.

 

 

 

 

“Dr. Yoon, to what do we owe this pleasure?”

“I would like to check on the alternative engine,” Jeonghan says. He takes pride in his Doctoral degree in Hydrology and Water Resources—it led him to where he is right now; before a casual scientist working at the space station, and now, a respected figure that people fawned over for his knowledge and philosophy. However, this officer just chuckles.

“Sorry, Doc, there’s an order from the higher-ups that the room is off-limits.”

“There wouldn’t even be a room for the alternative engine if I hadn’t created it. Now, move.”

“Doc, it would be in both of our interest if you just walked away. I would have to call a few officers—”

_“Let him in.”_

The officer perks up from the voice, and he looked like he knew it too well. Jeonghan, too, because he turns and is met with the person he had thought would appear. Captain Kim, during their time in Earth, had led successful missions piloting space ships to moon and Mars, the latter being the most memorable as he saved the crew from a tragic crash that would cost their lives. He’s trusted and well-liked by the passengers themselves. He has a scar across his nose, bear angling to a side-swept motion along his jaw, complementing his square-shaped face. His voice is deep, almost always raspy, mixing with the static whenever he’d announce something over the intercom. Despite his old age, he still looks impressive, standing tall with a charisma every leader wished they’d have.

“We are thankful for Dr. Yoon’s services. He’s the one who developed this wonderful machine. It’s his right.”

“Thank you,” Jeonghan says, bearing a small smile. “I’m here to check its maintenance.”

“Of course,” Captain Kim replies, gesturing the guard to open the door with a special key card. It lights green, sliding open with a beep. Jeonghan steps inside. Its design is similar to the main engines, except its wider and submerged in water. It is conveniently developed to perform without any mess, half of the machine kept in a huge container along with the water source. The gauge and other controls are situated at the top, ladders attached to each as its height extends to at least ten feet.

All of the engines were running.

Its bottom parts moved in circular motion, the twin fan-like disk running on water, powering the engine alive. The rumbling of each machine resonated within the four corners of the room, and it’s not like he didn’t trust Jisung and Daniel’s gathered information, but he just needed to hear everything come from the Captain’s mouth.

“I believe I haven’t been entirely honest with you, Dr. Yoon,” Captain Kim starts, though his smile doesn’t waver as if everything fell into place. “We’ve been using the hydropower engine as you can see, because—”

“The main engines aren’t pumping anything more. We’ve run out of fuel.” Jeonghan finishes for him. “For how long?”

“9.4 Earth years. Not many people know.” Captain Kim answers tersely. “Actually, we didn’t even know it at first. It happened during our sleep.”

“But you chose not to tell us and the passengers,” Jeonghan says, placing a hand against one of the clear containers. The water’s current grew stronger. “Why?”

“Getting inquisitive now, are we?” Captain Kim chuckles, walking toward to where he is, clasping his hands together against the small of his back. He stares up at the engine. “This is the reason why I allowed you inside. Not only you are a bearer of a prestigious award in which your contributions are greatly appreciated and recognized, but you are one of the privileged members of this ship as well. Your performances never did fail the board, and you’ve always had stellar opinions that may just save one’s life.”

“Captain, you’re not really answering my question.”

He ignores him and continues, “There’s something that we like to call emergency ships. We’ve chosen a handful of candidates that will acquire one when the time comes. I’m afraid that it’s not long before Aurora falls.”

“What about the others? They have families and they sacrificed their lives for this cause.”

“They had no other choice because Earth was dying. The sun is on the verge of combusting. It is in their best interest to join our voyage,” Captain Kim says without any hint of remorse. “But unfortunately, the emergency ships can only hold a limited population.”

Jeonghan turns to face the captain yet again, the water behind him splashing the container in a much more vigorous manner. The machine, however, still ran at a constant pace. The captain started to notice this, too. It was as if the water moved like a surfing wave meeting in its own halfway, threatening to overflow from the container. “Up to what?”

Briefly, a boy appears behind Captain Kim, wearing a white shirt and a pair of red cargo pants, bangs hung up until his eyebrows, the tip of his hair tickling his eyes. Jeonghan feels his heart speed up, but after blinking rapidly, the boy who looked out of place disappears.

“Three thousand, Dr. Yoon. And I want you to be part of it.”

Jeonghan clears his throat, palms sweating, reverting his focus to the conversation. “You—you want me to board the emergency ship before Aurora crashes?”

“Think about it hard, Dr. Yoon. It’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss,” Captain Kim half-teases as if it was a light joke—Jeonghan squeezes out a low laugh, nodding as if he understood the Captain’s wishes. “See! I knew you could be trusted, Dr. Yoon. You always know the right thing to do.”

“Yes, Captain,” Jeonghan grips the audio recorded he hid in his pocket. “ _However_ , I think it’s still possible to expand the life of the alternative engine.”

“If we use the remains of our water resources, then there will be nothing left for the passengers and crew to use. We’ve approached that solution as well.”

“But there is a planet—”

“We are uncertain of what that planet can bring. It is the one covered with nothing but water, correct? Back on Earth, we’ve only discovered 3% of marine life, and not even half the species of the ocean holds—what more if it was a whole planet in a completely different solar system? I hope you reconsider this, Dr. Yoon. We’ve tried everything.”

 _You’ve tried everything but you aren’t risking anything,_ Jeonghan wanted to say. He stays still when the Captain gives him a rather comforting pat on his shoulder. “I understand that you want to save these people’s lives, but in order to survive, we must make choices. I know you know which path to take.”

Jeonghan nods. “I understand, Captain.”

“Good,” Captain Kim says. He takes his leave, then, and Jeonghan watches the door slide close. Behind him, the water churns into a calmer rate and he hears an all-too-familiar voice call his name once again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II

 

 

The dinner ball is tonight and while everyone prepared themselves for all the glitz and glamor, Jeonghan finds himself walking to Daniel’s clinic, sporting his one and only suit with a stiff stature. He enters the room with a knock and isn’t surprised to find Jisung conversing with Daniel, the former sporting an outrageous bolo tie.

“Do not,” Jisung warns. “It’s the only tie I have that matched this suit.”

Daniel’s still in his uniform, still on duty just in case someone choked on a macaroon or something like that. “Well, you are kind of a fashion terrorist, so I’m not surprised.”

Jisung rolls his eyes. “Anyway,” he says in a more serious tone, “Are we ready for later?”

Jeonghan takes a small audio recorder from his pocket. “The Captain asked me to board one of the emergency ships when Aurora crashes.”

“And…what did you say?”

“I didn’t particularly answer him, but I assure you that I’m going to continue this plan with you. He wants 27,000 people to die in space, so,” he turns the recorder on and as they intently listen on Jeonghan and Captain Kim’s conversation, Jeonghan inputs, “Jisung, everything you said was accurate. How did you get this kind of information?”

“I have an insider,” Jisung explains shortly. “But Jeonghan, this is really smart. If we move forward with your proposal, then instead we could just hack the intercom and have them listen to the Captain’s words. Maybe it could persuade them to ride along with us.”

“Right but thinking about it, the privileged people Captain Kim spoke of will be in that very hall, too.”

“So, your new proposal?” Daniel urges.

“I have to know something first before I say it,” Jeonghan says. “Jisung, I need to know if the planet is safe for docking. It might be a home to extraterrestrial creatures we don’t know of. Or if there is, I want you to find a shallow spot we can land to, because surely, if there are creatures, they’d occupy the deeper part of the ocean—or planet, rather.”

“While I was snooping around the navigator’s cabin, I found a frequency map. There’s a spot where we can land.”

“Good. Drive the spaceship to that direction.”

“And then?”

“There must be the complete absence of an engine in order for the ship’s automatic emergency alarm to blare,” Jeonghan looks at both of them. “I’m going to deactivate the alternative engine.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Thank you, Jeonghan,” Daniel says right after they could part ways. Jisung had been dragged by another engineer in his department, something about table arrangements. They’ve given each other a small earpiece for communication, in the time where they’d execute the plan. “I owe service to you.”

Jeonghan chuckles. “It’s okay,” he then says, keeping his right wrist close to him. “Before, I wasn’t able to save the person that mattered to me the most, but now I know I can save about 30,000 people.”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay. He sacrificed his life to save me when my old home got caught in a fire.” He doesn’t know why he’s sharing something that he tried so hard to push away, but he learns that vocalizing a piece of him didn’t hurt as much as he imagined. “I think maybe that’s why I keep seeing him. I think he would’ve been very proud of me.”

“Jeonghan, the remedy—”

“I’ll take it when I’m ready,” Jeonghan says decisively. “For now, let’s just focus on the plan. You have a family to save.”

 

 

 

 

The banquet hall has three floors dedicated to it, the ends meeting at one huge stage, one where everyone can see. The people are conversing well with each other, good enough for a month-wake, where some even cried because they missed Earth so much, and the life they had with it.

There are digital posters around, flashing in patterned images of what New Earth looked like, and what would life be once they’ve inhabited it. There’s also an occasional voiceover of a female reciting their oath which was— _Together, we form life. With Aurora, we can find it._ Jeonghan found it absolutely ridiculous the first time he heard it, but reproduction has become so scarce that people needed reminding of what became their mission.

Jeonghan entertains a few small conversations with a handful of people from his department. Most just whined for the luxury they realized they’ve been deprived of since they’ve finally had the taste of the expensive beef the kitchen served at the buffet. The whole ambiance of the place is celebratory, and if anything, this might be the only night where everyone can be treated as an equal. After all, it’s a social event of sorts. Not much had made new relationships after just a month of waking up.

“I trust that you’ve made your decision,” a voice drawls. Jeonghan turns around to see the Captain in his usual suit. It is his trademark and looked formal, so it’s quite acceptable for the event.

“I have,” Jeonghan grits his teeth. “And I want to bring a few people with me when the time comes.”

“I’ll see to it, then. I’m assuming that you want to bring Engineer Yoon along?”

“We’ve been friends for the longest time. And I want to bring Dr. Kang, too.”

“The emergency ships maximum capacity is six people. I hope you don’t mind riding along with two strangers as we assign occupants.”

“I want to reserve those two spots as well,” Jeonghan says. “Thank you for this opportunity, Captain.”

“I’ll see to it and you’re very much welcome. As expected from our brightest scientists.”

The Captain then tends to another, a person Jeonghan recognizes as a famous politician, a city mayor if he isn’t mistaken. His earpiece subtly beeps.

 _What was that for?_ Jisung asks.

“Trust me,” Jeonghan quietly replies. He doesn’t say anything more.

He sits with a few scientists from different departments on a round table situated at the front audience area minutes before the awarding ceremony. He then acquaints himself with a medium-rare steak, all plated with a dry mashed potato and buttered vegetables, before executing a make-or-break plan that may risk 30,000 lives.

 _No_ , he tells himself. _It’s going to work._ If they don’t move forward with it, then there’s a bigger chance that the majority will die. Jeonghan clears his throat, easing it by downing expensive red wine. The hall finally dims, and he joins the sudden wave of applause. The curtain slides dramatically, revealing their beloved Captain and a few higher-ups that headed their departments.

“Good Evening, passengers and crews of Aurora! Today we celebrate the one-month mark since our wake! As you all know, we are already traveling within its solar system, and what’s a better way to celebrate being one step closer to boarding our New Earth?”

The audience cheers, which Jeonghan joins.

_We’re already by the Captain’s quarters, Jeonghan._

Jeonghan feels his heart speed up in nervousness. He doesn’t reply because other people can hear. He keeps his long bangs to cover his ear.

_I’ve already put the guards asleep with the syringe. Jisung, you’re good to go, but be careful. I might’ve missed a few guards._

Then he hears another voice, but it sounded like nothing from Jisung and Daniel. He hears it in his head. _Jeonghan, I’m so proud of you…_

 

 

☆

 

The fire envelops the mansion at a time where nobody expected.

Jeonghan had fallen sick, caught a bad case of high fever, so he was advised to stay in while everyone occupied the chapel for the nightly rosary.

The mansion was eerily quiet and for the past few days he had been sick, the doctor who came around once in a while told the other kids to not play with Jeonghan for the time being. It’s not like they did in the first place, but there was one teen who was devastated of the announcement. His friend.

But he is alone right now. All the caretakers took part of the rosary. It was fine since he didn’t move much. He wouldn’t be able to make a mess of anything. He forces himself to fall asleep amidst the cold sweat that broke from his skin. He felt cold despite the summer heat.

The rosary is about to end soon enough. He stayed in the maid’s room instead of the usual, where he slept with the other kids—it’d be hard for the caretakers if all of them had caught a fever. He tried his best to keep up with the medicine his doctor had recommended, and at first, he didn’t really care about being healed because no one cared for him that much. The other teens often lock him in small places like a cupboard or a closet, and his friend would always be the one to defend him and get him out of it.

He confesses to his friend through the closed door of the maid’s room that he feels he really didn’t matter much, and his reply made Jeonghan realize that they have indeed grown up, “ _I wish you could see the world through my eyes. It’s really beautiful. And guess what? You are part of that something beautiful…_

_Jeonghan, don’t worry. I’ll always be there to protect you.”_

He then told him to keep on living, but Jeonghan retorts that it’s not like he could die because of a high fever. He assures his friend that he will survive whilst holding his promise dear to his heart.

He brings the blanket closer to his chin and closes his eyes, counting the days until his fevers would go down, though, that’s where he started to smell something weird. A wave of panic washes over him as the burning smell got stronger and stronger. He tries to stand up from his bed albeit his wobbling knees, turning the doorknob only to find it locked from the outside.

The other kids had locked him.

“No…” he bangs on the door. The smell is stronger than ever, making him cough, his nose throbbing along with his head. He’s on the first floor, near the kitchen, where he assumes the fire supposedly started. He hears its cackles from outside, a good few feet away, and if he’s lucky enough he’d be able to get out of the room before it spreads to his area. There’s a small fire extinguisher in the corner of the room and he picks it up, still coughing wildly, feeling the heat which made him sweat even more but this time it isn’t cold. He hammers the hot doorknob with the fire extinguisher for a good minute but is met without any results. Tears flowed from his eyes and for the first time in his life, he felt the fear of dying.

Something explodes and he screams, crawling to the farthest wall of the room, clutching the fire extinguisher. If it’s strong enough, then he could ward it off temporarily to make his way outside, but the fire slowly creeps to where he is, and he doesn’t have any hope left. By now, the size of the fire must’ve caught the attention of the caretakers and the other kids. They could call the fire station, but he doubts that he’d make it out alive by the time they would arrive.

 

 

 

 

“There’s a fire! There’s a fire!” one of the caretakers scream. “I left the gas on as I was cooking something—”

“Okay, okay,” the head caretaker tries to calm everyone down despite her ragged breathing. “Everyone’s here with us and we’re safe. No one’s going to get hurt.”

“Auntie…” a boy speaks up, voice shaking. He clutches his red cargo pants, looking at the mansion that’s slowly being consumed by the fire. “Jeonghan is still there.”

“Oh no!” The caretaker screams hysterically. “Our Jeonghannie, we have to save him. He’s in the maid’s room!”

The head caretaker weeps, clutching her chest, and it’s as if a mother had already lost her child. It’s not long before the fire takes up the third floor. The others have already started to evacuate the kids to a much safer place where they can’t inhale the smoke, while the boy stayed still. “How long will we have to wait for the rescue team?”

“Not long,” the caretaker replies. “Let’s just pray that he has gotten out that small room—”

“Auntie!” A kid screams, who’s being dragged away by the arm. He twists out of the grip and says, “We’ve locked him inside the maid’s room. We’re so sorry!” he cries, falling to his knees. The other kids are crying, too. “We’re so sorry!”

“I have to save him,” the boy says, “I-I have to save him…”

 _“No,”_ the head caretaker says. “You have to evacuate with other kids—”

“I have to save him,” the boy repeats, looking at the caretaker straight in the eyes. “I promised to protect him.”

He runs. The head caretaker yells. She doesn’t want to lose another child, so she tries to follow, but is held back by another colleague, who cried hard on her shoulder, tightening her grip.

“Stop! _Stop!_ Come back!” the head caretaker yells with a strained voice. She then calls his name, “ _Seungcheol_ , come back!”

 

 

☆

 

 

“And now…we start with the Service Awards. This is dedicated to the workers who have dedicated their lives to our mission,” the host says. Behind him the Captain stands, holding a plaque, while the others have decorated themselves on the stage for a handshake.

Jeonghan presses the earpiece. “Are you guys ready?”

 _“We’re already in the cockpit,”_ Jisung says. _“Daniel’s already on the way to the alternative engine room, and I’m already driving the ship toward the direction of the planet, and I have the recorder against the intercom as well. We’re just going to wait for your signal.”_

“Now we call for Dr. Yoon Jeonghan!” He stands up from his seat, bowing when people howled for him. “He’s known for developing the alternative engine, a hydro-energy source that is as fit for space travel as our main engine. Thanks to him, we are ensured safety, should there be a time of emergency, which we all hope, won’t happen.”

Jeonghan climbs the stage with a smile, all the way to the Captain who held his plaque with the same expression but not quite. He accepts the award, tapping the mic for his speech. “I’m very honored to receive this award. I developed the engine without expecting anything in return, but really, I’m very thankful. I made the engine in hopes of saving people’s lives in a dire time,” he clutches the mic. “The engine was designed to last for 9.5 Earth years. We are only 2 Earth years away from New Earth. However…”

“Dr. Yoon—”

“Without our knowledge as we’ve been asleep for so long, the ship had resorted to activate its emergency services, and it only does so when an engine had stopped working.” His voice is firm and he hears a collective horrified gasp from the audience. “Jisung, _now._ ”

The Captain’s voice booms over the intercom.  

_“The main engines aren’t pumping anything more. We’ve run out of fuel. For how long?”_

_“9.4 Earth years. Not many people know. Actually, we didn’t even know it at first. It happened during our sleep.”_

_“But you chose not to tell us and the passengers. Why?”_

“Yoon Jeonghan, you’re committing an act of crime—!”

_“Captain, you’re not really answering my question.”_

_“There’s something that we like to call emergency ships. We’ve chosen a handful of candidates that will acquire one when the time comes. I’m afraid that it’s not long before Aurora falls.”_

_“What about the others? They have families and they sacrificed their lives for this cause.”_

_“They had no other choice because Earth was dying. The sun is on the verge of combusting. It is in their best interest to join our voyage. But unfortunately, the emergency ships can only hold a limited population.”_

_“Up to what?”_

_“Three thousand…”_

The audience both grew enraged and in fear. They scream proclamations of dying while the others who know of the emergency ships quietly make their way out. “For those who wish to board the emergency ships as soon as now, then I’ll have to tell you that it’s impossible to ride it now as it isn’t on autopilot,” Jeonghan announces. The Captain tries to lunge after him but is stopped by a few security personnel under Jisung’s connections. They struggle to bound him, and alas they do, handcuffing from behind in an old-fashion catch. Though it isn’t the Captain’s protests that filled his ears, but the growing frustrated crowd who’s scared out of their minds. “Everyone,” Jeonghan says a bit louder. He takes a deep breath, “There’s still hope—”

“We’re all just going to die soon!” A voice yells, and the other seemed to agree in fear.

“Listen to me,” Jeonghan shouts with all his might. “Right now, we are hovering above a Goldilocks planet. It is safe there. We can dock there temporarily. The engine is hydro-powered and the planet is covered with nothing but water. I assure you all that I have the capability to extend the alternative engine’s life, enough to complete our voyage to New Earth.”

“Or we could just leave immediately! We can drive the emergency ships!” They try to exit the area, causing a stampede. Others are close to fainting, while some stayed but in fear. Heaps of jewelry and expensive clothing try to fit themselves into the exit, driven by their own interests and endeavors. The department heads try to escape, too, while the Captain resisted against the bounds. The personnel hasn't left yet, and he briefly wonders the amount of loyalty they have for Jisung.

“We want to live,” one of them says. “This is why we’re doing this.”

Jeonghan nods. He presses the earpiece once again, walking over a small pillar near the stage, “Daniel, deactivate the engine now.”

_“Your wish is my command.”_

The emergency alarm blares, bright lights replaced with red hues, making everyone scream in panic more than ever. Some tried to scramble to hold onto something as the ship falls at an alarming speed. Jeonghan holds onto the pillar, all the while hearing both Jisung and Daniel scream in his ear piece.

Tables and food slide downwards, broken plates and wine glasses sliding to the direction when people gathered. Thankfully, the extent of the injuries it could offer are a few scars. It isn’t dangerous enough to bring death when in fact their plan was to keep everyone alive. It’s just, Daniel and the medic team will have a long day. He feels air unto his hair and cheeks, gums almost exposed from the pressure.

“Turn it back on!” he tells Daniel. Minutes later, after almost losing grip on the pillar, the emergency blare stops, and the ship had been rightfully elevated. Jisung’s perfectly doing his job on the wheel, and no later, he feels the ship wobble into steadiness. They’ve landed and the water had cushioned their fall.

 

 

 

 

The higher-ups didn’t have much to say since the most that they’ve done was to try to resort to the emergency ships and pretty much hide important announcements to all the passengers aboard Aurora.

They’re docked to the shallow part of the never-ending ocean as promised by Jisung, who, along with Daniel helped him look for repair parts in the stock room. All the while, Jeonghan has hired a team of scientists and engineers that will help in redeveloping the engine to a longer life.

The others, however, were asked to stay in their own living quarters once they’ve been tended by the medic team. There is security personnel situated by the cockpit, the engine rooms, and the emergency ship area, just in case someone would try to use it to escape. When they passed by it, Jeonghan was met with large vines, accentuated by flowering leaves at four ends of the door. The environmental department had almost fainted when they saw it.

“We shouldn’t really focus on that right now,” Jisung says. “The environmental department will figure it out soon. Right now, let’s make the most of our time before the Captain talks his way out of prison.”

“He won’t be able to do anything,” Jeonghan picks up an elysee fan from the shelf. “As long as the engine hasn’t been redeveloped, he won’t be able to do anything.”

“Okay,” Daniel says, who’s on a break from his shift. “How long will the redevelopment take? Earth-wise.”

“We really can’t tell. Approximate two nights, if the sky can darken, that is.”

“It does,” Jisung inputs.

Jeonghan stares at him. “How did you know?”

Jisung clears his throat as he carried a few parts as well. “I just do."

 

 

 

 

 

Apparently, the sky knows of night and it does take them two moons to finish the engine. Aurora is in perfect condition in the duration of the stay, so people had carried on with their lives as it is, except most are curious and have taken their feet a dip outside. They did not last long.

Jisung has been quiet lately, but Jeonghan chose not to question the sudden change as he assumed that he just felt elated that they can finally carry on with the mission. The higher-ups have not yet scolded them, but as what they’d said, they’ll just deal with the politics after everything was over.

The water’s height was right just below Jeonghan’s weight. They ran a successful engine test a while ago, to which the passengers had congratulated him on and as well as leading the team. The ship is still rumbling to life, and he, Jisung, Daniel and a few volunteers took the liberty to stock extra fuel which came in the form of water.

“This amount will last us a million lightyears already, I think,” Jeonghan says lightly, and it’s his version of a joke. The others laugh, delivering the gallons of water along with themselves inside the ship. They have ten minutes before flying off.

“Ready to go?” Daniel asks. They were able to save the lives of the people in Aurora, and he couldn’t be much happier. Jeonghan replies, “Yeah.” He turns his back to look for Jisung, which he found staring at the horizon.

“It’s time for boarding!” One of the volunteers called.

“We’ll be there in a second!” Daniel replies. “Hey, Jisung, let’s go!”

Jeonghan takes tentative steps toward Jisung with Daniel closely following behind him. “Hey, Jisung, what’s wrong?”

“It’s all gone,” he suddenly whispers. “It’s all gone…”

“What’s gone?”

Jisung turns to face Jeonghan. “Jeonghan, it’s time.”

“Time for what? Jisung, we have to board—”

“We haven’t been entirely honest with you,” he confesses. “You see…I was the one who put the hallucinations in your head.”

“Jisung,” Jeonghan says carefully, and his eerie how something absurd could stir a sense of truth within his gut. He chooses to pick the more logical side, though. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Listen, the ship is going to blast off in a few minutes, and if we don’t move from where we are right now, there’s a possible chance that they might leave us behind.”

“I have the power to manipulate minds,” Jisung says. "Jeonghan, we had to do all of this in order to get you here. You have to fulfill the Prophecy."

Jeonghan feels his palm sweat, almost scared. “Jisung, let’s go. Daniel, can you please help me—”

Jeonghan looks at Daniel with worry, but it seemed as if he completely understood what Jisung meant. “What’s happening?” He asks, and it is not the type wherein he’s in disbelief of the peculiarity before him. He thinks that the situation required a secret that must be told, albeit how fictional it may sound. “What’s happening?” He asks again. “Are you guys…”

“We’re not aliens if that’s what you’re wondering,” it was Daniel who started explaining. “Jeonghan, listen to us carefully—”

A few feet away, the same volunteer shouts, “ _Captain! No!_ Dr. Yoon and everyone is still—”

The boarding doors started to close.

“No!” Jeonghan started trudging against the hard current of the ocean. “Daniel, Jisung—”

“I was the one who broke the main engine so that it would activate the alternative. We needed to land on this planet.”

“I don’t really get what you’re saying right now, but we have to _move_.”

“The guards? I’ve manipulated them into serving us during our stay. The Captain, too, though I’ve already snapped him out of his reverie already. This is entirely his own actions.”

Both of them stayed where they are, and Jeonghan moves forward whilst having his head turned to them. The ship starts to fly, while the now-escaped Captain Kim slowly disappear as the boarding doors close. A strong gust of wind follows, Jeonghan’s weight flying to where he had come from, near the two men who just stared as the ship readied to blast into space once again.

“No, come back!” Jeonghan yells to no one, chest heaving, hands shaking from panic. He turns to Jisung who still stood idly. “What the fuck were you thinking?” He takes him by the collar. “You were fine yesterday! Now, what do we do? They left us—”

“I was going to give you a chance to board the ship,” is all Jisung says, and Jeonghan grows more confused. “Or stay here on this planet, where you truly belong. Silfheid has been put into a curse and you're the one who's going to lift it.”

“What nonsense are you fucking spitting out?” Curse? Prophecy? Silfheid? Jeonghan couldn't believe what he was hearing. He felt tears stinging his eyes in hopelessness. 

“Jeonghan, listen to us,” Daniel starts explaining. “We’re not—we’re not exactly from Earth.”

“Great,” Jeonghan lets Jisung go and turns to Daniel. “Now I’m stuck with aliens. Fuck. I’m going crazy.”

The water starts to whir.

“The more you get agitated the more the water will get angry,” Daniel puts his hand before him in a defensive stance, but he hopes the gesture would at least calm Jeonghan down. “Don’t tell me that you haven’t questioned why water would always react the same way as your emotions.”

Jeonghan grits his teeth, feeling angry tears stream down his cheek. It was true. The hydro-powered engine would react to his touch, during and after its process of completion. As a child, he liked to splash his feet in puddles and it would dance higher than it should've, or when he'd take a bath and the water would pat against him strongly albeit a shortage. He had always felt close to the water, but he has never disclosed anything about it to anyone. “Who _the fuck_ are you guys?”

“We’re your friends,” Daniel says. “And this—” he rolls his sleeve to show his birthmark. “Has something to do with all the things that happened in your life.”

“I don’t understand,” Jeonghan’s voice shakes. “We’re light years away from New Earth with no vessel, no food, no anything. We’re going to die, Daniel.”

“We’re not,” Daniel assures, taking a step closer. “We’re not going to die as long as you calm down—”

Behind him, the water curls up to a growing wave. “Jeonghan, please,” Daniel says in desperation. He points to his leaf-shaped birthmark. “I’m Kang Daniel from the Flora Kin, I specialized in herbal medicine back in the Silfheid Kingdom. I work directly under the Royal Family, or at least, the person left from it. I have powers, too. I was the one who locked the emergency ships docking area’s door, all with the vines. And Jisung’s a powerful Mind Sorcerer.”

The wave grows taller. “What the fuck?”

“Then,” he started to stutter, pointing at the throng of fire in his wrist. “This represents my husband, my soulmate. He’s from the Fire Kin. Jeonghan, you have this, too. Look at yours!”

Jeonghan rolled his sleeves, and yet he still can’t find himself to believe what Daniel was saying. His thoughts are consumed by the being on the verge of death on a strange planet, and the last thing he will ever hear from someone alive is nothing but nonsense. Then, he realizes that maybe Daniel didn’t want to die, too, “Daniel…I know it’s hard, but we have to work together—”

“No, I’m not going crazy. And Jisung is as sane as I am. We’re standing on a tall cliff. This planet is called Couhan. We live here. _You_ live here. Your soulmark, it represents you and your soulmate. He’s from the Fire Kin while you’re from the Water Kin. You're the last of your kind.”

“Jeonghan,” Jisung finally speaks up. “You’ll be the one who will save us all.”

“What—”

Jisung hurls him with a strange force, and this time, it’s him holding him by the collar. He throws Jeonghan far in the water, “You will meet us at the other end!”

His voice blurs underwater. He thrashes, hoping to hold onto something, but his eyes throb in pain as he watches Jisung and Daniel’s figures come unclear as he falls down and down into the water. He tries to swim, to raise himself up, but all he sees is tall ground, which he later realizes is a cliff. His heart starts to pound wildly, and he’s pulled by the strong current of the water. It gets darker as it descends and he has never been this scared since his friend had pulled him out from the burning mansion, in turn sacrificing his life for his’.

 

 

 

 

 

 _“Seungcheol,”_ he coughs, _“It’s okay, you can leave me.”_

 _“No, we’re going to go through this until the end,”_ he says. They’ve walked past the kitchen already after he had kicked the door open to escort Jeonghan out of the maid’s room. The living room’s floor is full of shattered glass the chandelier had dropped from the ceiling, every corner of the room on fire—from the couch, to the table, and the withering support of the mansion. With the fire extinguisher Jeonghan had picked up earlier on, they were able to calm a few who blocked their way.

 _“We’re near already, don’t worry,”_ Seungcheol assures, stroking Jeonghan’s shoulder with his thumb as they moved. _“Hear that? Fire trucks are on the way. We could do this, Jeonghan.”_

Jeonghan nods and they walk forward. Seungcheol carefully guides him as they started to crawl under the smoke. _“Jeonghan, the door is only a few feet away—”_ he uses all of his strength to carry Jeonghan, who’s on the verge of fainting. They reach the door, Seungcheol’s palm burning from the heat the knob had induced. He pushes Jeonghan out first, who with all the power he could muster, holds out his hand to pull Seungcheol out. He hears the caretakers scream, slippers clenching around the grass as they ran at full speed. Seungcheol lied. There aren’t any fire trucks yet.

“I told you I’d protect you, didn’t I?” Seungcheol smiles.

As Jeonghan touched Seungcheol’s fingertips, and as the caretakers neared, a block of wood burning with fire had dropped to his head. It quickly spreads to his clothes, then to his body, and then to his door. Jeonghan remembers being taken away with his hand still stretched, and he remembers screaming until his throat tore.

 

 

 

 

 

…So, he falls in the vast sea with no land in sight. Time distorts, and for the first time in his life, he had deemed Earth hours as something that is amicable. He hears a voice that initially sounded like a slow rumble, but as it grows over its repetition, it comes into a clear, and it is only then that Jeonghan realizes that it had been a painful reminder of a person he knew all too well.

_Jeonghan, don’t worry. I’ll always be there to protect you._

 

 

☆

 

 

“Your Majesty! General!” A castle guard had pushed the door far open, helmet lifted to see his reddening face and quick breaths. The eleven Coterie members turn their heads to the stricken guard.

“What is it?” Prince Jihoon stands up from his seat. “Speak.”

“T-The Prophecy!” He cries. “The Savior. He’s here!”

One of the members of the Coterie, Junhui, trails, “Your Majesty…”

The Coterie members sit in shock, staring at the Prince, waiting for his next command. “We move to the amphitheater. We need to see him.”

They all scramble to exit the hall. Prince Jihoon places a hand on General Choi’s shoulder. “He’s the last of the Water Kin. Not only did the Savior arrive, but your soulmate as well. Let’s go.”

Seungcheol, who’s been frozen ever since the announcement, nods mutely. He touches his right wrist.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

III: _Silfheid_

_“Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes_

_They call me on and on across the universe_

_Thoughts meander like a restless wind_

_Inside a letter box they_

_Tumble blindly as they make their way_

_Across the universe”_

 

Across the Universe – The Beatles

 

 

 

The voices inside his head eventually stop.

He doesn’t remember when or how exactly, but the next thing he knows, he’s jolted back to consciousness, accompanied by a pounding headache and his body screaming in pain. The first thing he sees are his bare feet, dirtied by the soil underneath, crumbs of sand getting in between his toes. He quickly blinks his way into the clear, and as his other senses slowly creep back to its supposed functions, his reflexes urged him to move—which he, unfortunately, doesn’t succeed in doing.

Both of his hands and feet are shackled by chains; it clinks against one another as he trashes on the seat. Panic starts to dawn him, but it somehow pushed his headache down, because death seemed like a more plausible priority rather than a simple hurting. His face trickles with cold sweat, and his palms started to feel clammy against the wooden arm rest. He lifts his head slowly, and before him stood a circular, three-legged table with a pitcher of water on top. It’s somewhat a minimalist view. Behind it is a short, dark tunnel and surrounding him were golden bricked walls; from his peripheral view, he could see rows of audience seats. The sunlight gently drenches the place, the wind blowing in a steady breeze. He hears a commotion up above. No, it’s more like voices—just small whispers and a few gasps, but enough to indicate that he’s around with people who can talk, or rather not entirely human but some form of heavenly figure.

Then, it dawns on him—the pitcher— _water_ , engine, Aurora, planet, drowning. His breath started to constrict as he sits up frantically, eyes darting to every direction of the place, searching for a quick answer to his question: _Where am I?_

It’s a place of the living, for sure, but the last thing he remembered was Jisung and Daniel looking down upon him as he fell to the deep abyss of the ocean waters.

Is he back on Earth? Or is he dead and facing judgment?

He can’t quite comprehend the striking difference between what it’s like to live and what it’s like to die. Maybe it’s because he hasn’t truly experienced the former. Perhaps, he’s just dreaming.

There was once a debate in the science community about water from Earth and how it differs from the other waters on the planet. They’ve come to a decision to label the universal solvent with their planet’s ownership mainly because they haven’t had the chance to conduct a full research on what the waters of other planets could offer. It could taste bitter and not salty, or it could be extremely poisonous. But the water Jisung and Daniel pushed him to can apparently have him experience a hyper-realistic healthy Earth that they once knew.

He doesn’t realize that he’d been shaking the entire time until one of the people in the elevated spectator seat above him shouted, “The Prince is here!”

He’s in an amphitheater, shackled in the middle as if he was a prisoner or more like a gladiator, of sorts. But his curiosity bests him. The least he could do for himself is to acquire knowledge of the time and place of his death—or maybe it’s just his survival instinct talking, and he would actually like to continue living and figure things out.

“Who are you people?!” he shouts. “Where am I?!”      

From the tunnel situated a few steps above the amphitheater, a group of people appears, and he could tell that the said Prince really arrived because he wore a long, blue cape and a glittering crown. The others behind him sat by the audience area, eyes wide and on him, and he feels incredibly exposed. He realizes that he’s still wearing his shirt, and much to his surprise, still clean and intact. He isn’t bruised nor scarred either.

“Answer me!” he shouts once again. “Please. I-I don’t know where I am.”

“We will answer all of your questions once you’ve completed the test.”

“Test?” he repeats incredulously. The man gestures his hand toward the pitcher of water, hoping he’d understand, but to his dismay, Jeonghan just stared, still confused, though somehow, at the very back of his mind. He knew what the man meant, except he still hasn’t accepted it as a form of truth.

Before drowning, he vaguely remembers Daniel telling him about how water can respond to his emotions. He didn’t have any idea what it meant, though one thing’s for sure, if he saw Daniel and Jisung again, he’d probably do something despicable. He doesn’t know what exactly, because one can vine a door and the other is, apparently, what they call a ‘Mind Sorcerer.’

“Begin,” the Prince says from his seat. And the fear inside Jeonghan grows more prominent, because he has no idea what ‘begin’ should impose, or if he’s the one supposed to initiate something. Then, a figure walks toward him.

He’s watched enough royal films to know how such people enjoyed gladiator fights, two people emerging from tunnels on opposite ends, about to give the audience a blood bath entertainment. And, like in most movies, those things don’t end well because either one is horribly beaten up to death while the other walks away victorious, and loved by many.

His chest heaves and it frustrates him how he can’t control his nerves. As the figure walks further towards him, he’s able to make out their identity, and thankfully, it’s not some beast or a skilled soldier designed to kill a powerless person like him. It’s much worse.

Jisung.

“You—!” Jeonghan yells until his throat scratched. He tries to free himself from the tight shackles. His feelings are that of a palette, paintings of fear, anger, and frustration mixed, showing an odd spectrum of what should be colorful and bright, but isn’t. Jisung, instead of wearing a lab coat, he wore a pure white cape, collar standing upright as it’s made up of strong leather. Under it, he wore a tunic of the same color. His silhouette looked regal.

Jeonghan wanted to yell more. He wanted to punch him, to inflict pain, to make him feel the way the same way he felt when he pushed him down the water, stripping him away from his second chance at life in New Earth.

_You’ll meet us at the other end!_

He clenches his fists as Jisung hovered above him. He lifts his hand, taking off its glove with the other. Jeonghan growls, “Don’t you _dare_ touch me—”

“This will hurt,” is all he says, after everything he has done to him. “Do not move.”

“No, stop!” Jeonghan trashes once again but is halted by Jisung’s touch, his thumb on the middle of his forehead.

Jeonghan jolts. He sees memories of the orphanage he used to reside in flash before his eyes; children pushing him off the stairs, locking him in dark rooms and closets, spitting at him, saying hurtful words just because he had a peculiar mark on his wrist. Just because he was different.

“Stop!” Jeonghan begs and he cries like he had never cried before. He felt his throat tear apart as he screamed, “Please stop! I’m begging you!”

And then, Seungcheol. The boy who saved him every time like a knight in shining armor. He sees nothing but images of him then; how he shared his orange iced popsicles with him, how he stayed by the other side of the door every time he’d fall sick, how he’d hold his hand whenever he’d cry whether it’d be about the kids who bullied him or about his parents who left him.

“Stop…” he begs once again, but the pain doesn’t stop, even if there isn’t anything that physically touched him.

He sees the orphanage enveloped by fire, and Seungcheol risking his life to protect him. And it finally ends with the image of a block of burning wood falling on Seungcheol and him being carried away by the caretakers.

Then, everything fades away.

“Now,” Jisung is now behind the glass of water, which stood a few feet away from him. Everyone in the amphitheater holds their breath. The prince had already stood up from his seat, gripping on the railings of the terrace. “I’ve made your mind vulnerable. This will help you channel the emotions you need for you to able to use your power.”

Jeonghan’s breathing hard, his mind unable to register Jisung’s words from the flashbacks. But he does hear him say, “Think back to the time where you wanted to use water the most.”

“Fuck you!” Jeonghan says, unstable and unable to stop the shaking of his body. “How dare you—”

“I— _no_ , not only me—but the whole Kingdom, planet, all the people need your cooperation right now. So, please,” Jisung repeats, “Think back to the time where you wanted to use water the most.”

His eyes dart to the pitcher of water.

He could easily access the memories he tried to push at the very back of his mind, at the edge where the forgotten ones lived. He wanted a whole sea to kill the fire of the mansion. He wanted to save Seungcheol badly as the flames ate him alive. He wanted to save him just as he saved him.

The glass of water shakes, and soon, it shatters. _He imagines a whole wave being poured on the mansion he grew up in._ In front of him, the ground is unable to absorb the water as it floated ten feet from it. The people in the amphitheater gasp, while the others had yelled, _“He’s the one! Our Savior!”_  

The Prince closes his eyes in relief. He whispers, “Thank you, Dear Lovis,” and he stares up at the sky. The people who sat in the audience area applauded him, the Royal Affairs following. The Prince, from his strict stature, smiles at him.

Jisung then tells him, a smile ghosting over his lips, “Welcome home, Yoon Jeonghan of the Water Kin.”

Soon enough, Jeonghan will learn how monumental the happening had been not just for the people in Silfheid, but for the whole planet as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Jeonghan wakes up to the sunlight filtering through the tall, stained glass window beside his bed. There aren’t many colors for its decorations are only that of blue for its corners, and green for the white flower stems that etched proudly in the middle. He feels his head pound wildly whilst feeling heavyweight upon every limb of his body, and the place is too eerily quiet that he can hear his pulse pump frantically. Beside him is a vase, one that held a flower that mimicked the room’s design—it seemed like a symbol of promise, though he has no idea what it exactly meant.

He sits up, trying his best to ignore the pain that shot to his back. The heaviness on his body is similar to what he felt after waking up from his 3000-year sleep in Aurora. He hoped, _had severely hoped_ that everything was nothing but a strange dream. He wished he had woken up in his bunker bed back in his living quarters in Aurora, still wearing his lab coat from yesterday. He wished Jisung and Daniel stayed as his acquaintances, and maybe even continue being friends once they would land New Earth.

He tries to accept that this is, in fact, reality. He has studied different fields of science to know what it means to be conscious, and these moments are one of them.

“Your recovery period is quite spectacular,” a voice says. “Careful.”

He’s very much conscious of the anger that surged through him—something a dream can't vividly provide. “Daniel, you fuck—”

He still needs answers. It would’ve been extremely fine if he were to accidentally get transported to a different country back in Earth, but to another planet situated in a completely different solar system? He’s enraged. The sudden adrenaline rush allowed him to garner strength enough for him to kneel on the bed, clutching Daniel’s white, leather collar. Being vindictive can take you to places after all. His uniform is intricately designed with that of minimalist swirls, which he later realizes are vines of leaves, its ends painted by small flowers of different colors.  His coat is buttoned up, and he still looked very much the same the last time he saw him. Still, his vision turns red. “Where the fuck are we? Who the fuck are you people?”

He hears what appears to be metal clank behind him, and he turns his head briefly to see a few guards preparing to charge after him as he sought Daniel for answers. The doctor lifts a hand to assure that he will be okay, and the guards return to their post by the huge door that swung both ways with a shapely arch on its top.

Daniel slowly takes Jeonghan’s hands off him with a calm, gentle smile. “I will answer your questions once you calm down. Do not fret.”

“Why the fuck are you talking like that?”

“I do not know how to adapt to your way of speaking, but it seems as if you like to use ‘fuck’ often, which I assume is your way of expressing your anger,” Daniel says. “But we are here not to talk about vernaculars and such—we have linguists for that. However, I will try my best to make our conversation fruitful as it will interest the Kingdom’s needs.”

“I am on a foreign planet right now, and all you care about is how I curse.”

“Curse?” Daniel frowns. “You’re capable of doing that?”

Jeonghan sighs. “No, not magic ‘curse,’ which I assume you people can do. It’s a bad word.”

Daniel laughs. “I was kidding. I know, I know. We are civilizations ahead of Earth when Couhan coexisted with it.”

Couhan. He remembers his Daniel telling him that it was this planet’s name.

“This planet coexisted with Earth? You all knew of Earth?”

“Well,” Daniel starts. “Our technicians managed to develop different forms of technology that can help us track planets from other solar systems. Until now, these technologies are still continuing to improve. It helps us understand our own planet, in some ways. Though, it’s impossible for our people to do an expedition to your solar system because it would cause major health complications.”

“Because our suns are different,” Jeonghan inputs. “It was a theory I used to study back then. The Earth’s sun wouldn’t be able to provide the nutrients you’d need. So…” he frowns, realization dawning upon him. “Your sun is bigger than ours. How come I’m still alive?”

“Yes, the sun was our main problem, but your sun had already exploded thousands of years ago.”

Jeonghan falls back and lets out a deep breath, feeling somewhat remorseful. “So, that means, Earth is gone, too?”

“Yes, I’m so sorry,” It was bound to happen anyway. Daniel says gently, “And the reason why you adapted fast to our environment is because you belong here.”

_Welcome home, Yoon Jeonghan of the Water Kin._

“I don’t understand. I lived all my life on Earth. It’s impossible for me to initially belong here.”

Daniel smiles as if the answer was obvious as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “If you have a soulmark on your right wrist, then that means you are one of us.”

Jeonghan instinctively covers his right wrist. He has faced more questions than answers all his life, and as he tries to slowly discover the latter, he finds himself cowering from the truth he sought. It appears that the answers he looked for did not reside in Earth, where back then, little naïve him thought where everything was possible; that if he looked hard enough, he would be able to ease himself of the mysteries that surrounded him. Why does he have a strange birthmark? Why did his parents leave him?

“My parents…”

“Now, I’m in the position to orient you on that. But soon, you will know, or more specifically, later.”

Jeonghan nods. And then, “You…you have a soulmark, too. I remember you telling me that you have a family.”

Daniel pauses for a brief second. “That, I do. You see, Sir Jeonghan, your mere existence foretells my future. I’m afraid that I cannot provide you the other information you need. But just know that everything that is happening right now proves a certain Prophecy.”

“Prophecy?”

“It’s really complicated to explain,” Daniel then urges him to sit up. “Which is why the Prince have prepared a tour for you, along with experts that can help you understand our home. He shall arrive in a few minutes.”

Jeonghan should’ve felt dread upon the announcement, but if anything, it was the moment where a goal drives itself through his brain.

Daniel rubs his palms together and ends it with a twist of his wrists. He opens his hands cupped-shaped, revealing a piece of leaf, which he then rolls in between his palms, then dipping a finger to the wet pigment. He wipes it on Jeonghan’s forehead and says, “This will ease your headache.” He notices Jeonghan fidgeting and adds, “Everything will be okay.”

“How long are your days?” Jeonghan feels his voice strain. He saw how Daniel easily made an herb appear from his palm. If the people back on Earth were given the same powers

“Same as Earth’s. 24 hours. We’ve adapted time measurements from your planet. When the sun is up, it’s morning. When the sun is down, it’s night.”

“How long have I been asleep, then?”

“A week,” Daniel answers. “We’re in the Kingdom of Silfheid. The Castle’s infirmary, to be exact.”

He’s been asleep for a week, but he finds himself not indulging to the fact. Time is constructed by men, but if they were to adapt practices from his home planet, then he might just be able to figure out how exactly he got here and why. Given that they are capable of producing technologies that are far greater than their own’s.

He needed to get out of this planet, to get out of whatever timeline he’s in.

“You seem to know a lot about Earth.”

“It was necessary for us to study it because there was once a theory that stated that it is a parallel of our world, only in the sense that it was birthed the same way. It doesn’t exactly work in similar motions, but we still try to understand.” Daniel then says, “The reason why we studied Earth was because the Prophecy foretold your coming— _foretold_ the Savior’s coming.”

“Wow,” Jeonghan doesn’t like the term, much more if he can’t see himself living up to it. He had failed to save the person who mattered to him the most back when he was just a child, so how can he be exactly one? “I don’t think I’m qualified for such a title.”

“You may feel that you don’t at this moment, but you will soon. Now, let’s haste. I was also given specific instructions to ready you for the Prince’s arrival. We’ve prepared an appropriate attire for you.”

“Alright,” he complies. His long-sleeves looked out of place anyway. If he could just access a ship or any device that can help him understand the time interval between the timeline he’s in right now and the timeline he was before all of this happened, then it’d be easier for him to figure a way out and find New Earth himself.

“Sir Yoon Jeonghan, I could tell that you’re an incredibly perceptive and smart man, but I’ll have you know that I know the look of someone who wants to run away.”

“Daniel—”

“It’s okay,” he assures. “We provide easy access transportations to other planets if that’s what you are concerned about. In fact, our natural satellites are vacation planets, and it’s quite nice to spend some time there if you are planning to seek solidarity.”

“It’s not a planet I’m exactly looking for,” Jeonghan confesses. “I’m looking a way out of this timeline, and _then_ after that, I’ll find the planet that I’m looking for.”

“May I know which planet is it?”

“It’s 2 Earth years away from this planet.”

“Planet Vetia,” Daniel says. “The planet is manifested by dangerous creatures and hybrids. Their Kingdom isn’t exactly welcoming either. It is in our best interest if we don’t cross their path. They’re vile, unforgiving, and as far as I know, all of the creatures and hybrids who reside that planet are capable of killing people of our kind once we step foot on their land.”

 _Aurora._ Aurora will land their soon. There are still 30,000 people onboard that ship, and if they did manage to land there, they’re all going to die. Oh, God.

“I have to go back.” _I have to save them. There’s still time. They probably haven’t landed the planet yet._

“You must want to save them,” Daniel’s gums show when he smiles, but this one fell immediately as soon as it went up. It’s somewhat sad. “I hope you do when you manage to go back to your time, but you’re here for a reason. As selfish as it may sound, but I want you to save all of our families first.”

 

 

 

The guards lead him outside and he’s met with a golden hallway of the same windows as the ones back in the infirmary. Their heels echo as they walked accordingly, passing by a few olden paintings and fine pieces of marble and ceramic furniture. Well, it _is_ a castle, and castles are meant to symbolize the kingdom’s riches.

He’s led outside the premises of the infirmary, which turned out to be an extension of the castle. He feels something strike his heart with the beauty. The castle looked like it was made of gold, standing proudly against a vast field of green, though, it isn’t particularly as saturated, which made it all the more eye-catching. He could tell they are situated at a high-rise land because surrounding the whole palace are mountains and waterfalls that strum loudly in his ears as it’s met with its end, albeit far away. There are small pieces of land that floated, too, complementing the sky, and Jeonghan doesn’t remember any scientific explanation for such thing, but he supposes it is just something that existed in their world.

They enter the main castle and he’s led to a clean, large room with both women and men bowing to him as he entered.

It’s true that Jeonghan is a smart and perceptive man. He can adapt to situations well and can easily talk his way out of difficult situations, but what he can’t seem to have a grasp on is the Kingdom’s odd fashion choices. The guards had led him to a what seemed to be a prepping room where stylists worked—at least, that’s what he assumes they are because they seem really quite skilled in combing his hair to the right places. They even offered a relaxing gel to soothe his pores, which his skin absorbed quickly much to his pleasure. 

He’s still in disbelief, of course. He’s just trying his best to keep up with all of their antics in order to survive. Natural selection will come to him one day, but he decides that today is not that day.

As strange as the people of this Kingdom’s fashion choices were, there’s this certain sanctity they hold for the clothes they wear. He’s quick to pick that up, so he doesn’t comment anything when they put him on a similar outfit as Daniel’s. He wore a deep blue cape with swirls embossed to its shoulders, running all the way to the upright collar. Two thin chains clip the cloth of the cape together, which covered both of his upper arms. Underneath, he wore a suit whose color is a lighter shade of blue. The buttons were golden, and he wore long boots as well.

The old lady says, wrinkles adorning her face, white hair tied in a neat bun. “I lived long enough to see the rise and fall of our Kingdom, and it’s been so long since I’ve dressed a Water Kind. Truly, it is such an honor.”

Jeonghan didn’t know how to respond to what she had said, so he just gives her a weary smile. “Thank you for dressing me well.”

The old lady nods. She then said that the Prince and his other subordinates will meet him soon in this very room. He stands idly by the window, fiddling with his fingers, anxious and yet anticipating of what’s to come. He can’t say that he isn’t curious of what the Kingdom beholds, and more importantly, albeit how afraid he is, he would at least get to know his past. He wouldn’t be too keen on trusting Daniel’s words if it weren’t for the birthmark on his wrist, which they apparently call as a soulmark. With it, he can identify his soulmate.

It’s funny, because the concept of soulmates had always been abstract to him. In Earth, people marry and spend the rest of their lives with each other. Some do die old together while others fall out of their relationship, which they once claimed that would last forever. There were so many uncertainties when it comes to love, but living in a world where it defines you as a whole is just frightening. Well, as if having superpowers weren’t scary enough.

The door creaks open. He turns around and is suddenly met with such a regal presence of power that it disabled his body from doing a quick response. The Prince has arrived.

He’s wearing something similar to what he wore the last time he saw him. Except now the colors are just different. His cape is red while the uniform he wore underneath is dark green; a golden sash with flowers of the fading color as its pattern hung over his suit. It’s the same design he saw from the infirmary.

He admits he’s extremely nervous. He had never been struck with such aura in his life. Behind the Prince is Jisung who wore a long purple coat. The upper part of his outfit is designed the same way as his’—all buttoned up, the linings of the collar a darker shade of the purple coat he wore. He sported a sleek, black long sleeves underneath; the cloth that ran from his shoulders is cut into half, giving his arm a flowy look.

“What do you do when you see a prince?”

Jeonghan felt his insides shake with nervousness. “Uhm—”

_“You bow to show your respect.”_

Jeonghan scrambles to do as what the Prince had ordered.

“Very good,” The Prince says, then turning to the stylists. “I thank you all for your hard work. You all have done a very good job.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” the old lady says, rising from her bow.

The Prince takes a look at him again. “We move now. The carriage is waiting for us.”

“Yes, Y-Your Majesty…” it felt foreign when the words left his tongue, but it was just right because it’s as if the Prince was born to be called the title not just in this life—maybe even in others, too.

They proceed to walk down the hall. Jeonghan follows the Prince, the guards, and Jisung who purposely lagged his stride to walk next to him. He tries to control his emotion, to keep his mouth shut. There is a time and place for everything, and it’s definitely not within the Prince’s air and the Castle he owned, surrounded by armed guards who probably possess powers as well. He could easily be beaten into a pulp if he did something funny.

“You’ll get used to it—calling him that, I mean. I know Earth isn’t exactly accustomed to the justice systems we have in our Kingdom.”

Jeonghan purses his lips together and responds with an almost inaudible grunt.

“How are you feeling, Sir Yoon?”

“After you triggered me to remember my traumatic past? I feel wonderful, Jisung.”

“So, you know my name even if I haven’t introduced myself yet.”

“But you know mine.”

“To put it simply, I have the power to.”

Right. He’s a Mind Sorcerer. He doesn’t know what it exactly entails, but the title speaks so much for itself already.

“You and Daniel were with me before I got here,” Jeonghan says. “So, I know you and you know me. We were friends.”

“Friends,” Jisung repeats and then tells him, “We will soon discuss your experiences before you got transported here in our Kingdom. But for now, the Prince and I will tour you around the Kingdom as a very important person.”

“So, a V.I.P?” Jeonghan says to himself.

“What’s a V.I.P?”

“A very important person,” Jeonghan says slowly. “It’s a shortened version of it—and, _uhm_ , you know what—never mind.”

Jisung frowns. Soon, they reach the exit. As they walk, the guards in line bow before them in 90 degrees. One of the subordinates then readies the step of the carriage, greeting the Prince with a smile underneath his white wavy mustache, eyes crinkling as he enthusiastically welcomed Jisung and him into the ride.

The Prince sits opposite him and Jisung. “Do not worry,” he says. “Everything may seem foreign to you now, but soon you will understand that this place is your true home. I personally ask for your cooperation.”

The carriage moves. He could feel every bump as the carriage rode along with the current of the horse’s steps. _I ask of you to save our families first._ He doesn’t have the slightest idea of what it meant or how he would do it, but it is something that he’s been labeled to do the moment he stepped foot in the planet. All he has to do is to figure out what it means. Jeonghan nods.

The Prince smiles, “Then, I welcome you to the Kingdom of Silfheid.”   

 

 

 

 

IV

_Is it possible to miss someone you have never met?_

 

He often asks himself this question. He believes that such a thing can only be possible if you’ve made up a whole set of personality and quirks that you think might fit the person you _want_ to miss, even if you haven’t met them.

He sometimes misses his parents.

Back then, he used to think that he had horribly done something wrong as a mere baby to have his parents leave him. As he grew up in the orphanage and met infants who had the same situation as he, he came to learn that all they did was drool a lot and cried whenever they’re hungry. Did his parents leave him because of that?

When he grew out of the orphanage, he just came to accept the fact that his parents never really did want him. Just because. Sometimes, some truths don’t have to make sense.

The last time he dwelled on these feelings were literally millenniums ago, and now people are claiming that his place was apparently his home, meaning this was where his parents used to reside to.

“I’m Prince Jihoon of the Lee clan. As of now, I’m the sole leader of Silfheid as both of my parents had already passed away. Jisung here is the Kingdom’s Mind Sorcerer and he will help you when you are in need,” Jihoon notices his slight discomfort. “Perhaps I came out too strong during our first meeting. You don’t have to be afraid of me.”

“It’s not that…” Jeonghan finally speaks up. “I just feel bewildered, is all.”

“One would be if they were in your situation. I am not asking you to immediately adapt to our social environment, but just know that we will still be as welcoming.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“You’re welcome,” Jihoon says. “Now, to begin our tour, we start with Kins. Jisung?”

The carriage slows down as they neared a what seemed to be a large village. There were silver maple trees everywhere; it’s long growths showering the place like a frozen rainfall. People walked about; some carried baskets full of fruits while others just simply wandered about, having mundane conversations with each other. It seems like a normal community—much like something he has witnessed before.

“Flora Kin,” Jisung introduces. They stay inside the carriage. “In Silfheid, people are free to do whatever they want, but somehow, over time, civilizations upon civilizations, each Kin has developed its own norm or rather, specialty. You’ve met Medic Kang, correct?”

“Yes, I have.”

“Flora Kin is in charge of the agriculture industry of our Kingdom. They’re the ones who import and export food for us; they farm, raise animals and make dealings with other planets for trade. They’re mostly in partnership with people from the Ground Kin. Their powers are really complementary, so as much as possible they try to help each other. Though, other Kinds—what you call the members from a Kin—are welcome to help as well.”

Jeonghan wonders how far their technology has already gone, considering the fact that their trade involves not just another country, but a whole planet.

“So, are people from the Flora Kin and Ground Kin are usually soulmates?” Jeonghan asks. Prince Jihoon’s eyebrows shot up, surprised at the fact that he already has initial knowledge over soulmates and what a soulmark entails.

“Not really,” Jisung answers. “We conducted a research before. There’s no certainty that you’ll end up with this Kind if you’re from this Kin. It’s very random; the frequencies are usually all over the place. You’ll know more about it later.”

“Alright,” Jeonghan nods. “And what about Medic Kang?”

“Apart from being involved with agriculture works, the Flora Kin is also known to have the best healers in the Kingdom. They are the ones who run our public clinics and hospitals. We chose to keep the traditional way of healing people, which is using varieties of herbal medicines, but technology helps us adapt to very rare and certain cases of illnesses—it expands knowledge, and from there on, the Medics will formulate potions or medicine that will help ease their patients’ pain. With their very own hands.”

“And Kang Daniel is the best Medic in our Kingdom, which is why I trusted him with you,” the Prince says. “You’re in very good hands right now, Sir Yoon. I hope you realize that.”

“I do,” Jeonghan says. The way their communities worked is precise and worked with a limitation that can easily solve the problems they used to face back on Earth. Things like these usually only existed in fantasy novels and films, and as the field of science grew, it still did not have the power to replicate such a beautiful thing.

Their next stop was the Ground Kin’s place. They travel a slope downward that eventually led them to a huge cave entrance. It isn’t far from the Flora Kin’s place. Since they rode a royal carriage, the soldiers that guarded the entrance immediately granted them passage. Prince Jihoon gives them a simple wave of greeting through the window.

“Our own villages and cities are closely-knitted,” Prince Jihoon informs. “Transportation isn’t a problem in the Kingdom. Most just use horses. The flying ships are only reserved for planet hopping.”

Once, his superior had told him that humanity is not yet capable of using technology wisely as it is powerful. However, in this world, there’s a certain leverage in which people are comfortable with. He finds himself appreciating that.

Had Earth turned something like Couhan, maybe they would’ve fought harder to save the planet. Maybe people would’ve been more kind to the beauty the Earth had offered.

They pass through a wide rock bridge secured with railings, decorated with street lamps. There’s a huge opening on their left, which collected a huge amount of sunlight, enough to brighten up the whole cave—or at least, a part of it. As they near the end of the bridge, they are met with a tunnel whose walls are lit up by hanging lamps.

“It’s more of a city than a town or a village,” Jisung simply says as they pass through the momentary darkness. “It has very relaxing vacation spots, so many people from different Kins often visit. When we have ambassadors from other Kingdoms or planets, we redirect them here for souvenirs and the like. The Ground Kin boasts exemplary craftsmanship as well.”

It was glamorous, so to say. Within the cave are mid-rise buildings, commercialized shops, and statues of different famous figures—but what caught Jeonghan’s eye is the monument erected at the heart of the city.

It was a woman, her eyes winged like a cat’s, wearing a headdress that looked like Saturn’s rings, except it’s divided into fours, crossed and overlapping each other. She wore a long, flowy dress, her hair falling to her arms, its length reaching her waist. Jeonghan takes a closer look. Her right wrist had marks like theirs, except the symbol is that of a sun while the other is three wavy lines, which he assumes are waves.

“Lovis,” it’s Prince Jihoon who speaks this time. “One of our creators, but the most celebrated one. It’s because of her that the soulmate system was developed.”

“How many creators were there?”

“Eight. A creator for each kin, or rather, ancestors,” Jihoon answers. “Though, Mind Sorcerers like Jisung and Oracles are a different story.”

“A Mind Sorcerer adapts their predecessor’s memories once chosen, which in turn, makes me sort of immortal. I hold grudges from millenniums ago, and it isn’t really the prettiest thing your heart is forced to carry, trust me,” Jisung says, chuckling slightly. Jeonghan finally got why Jisung had told Daniel back in Aurora, _your ancestors owe me_. “With this magnitude of power, I was destined to not have a soulmate, which is fine with me. The same goes for Oracles, the one who has the ability to prophesize and foresee events.”

“Correct,” Jihoon says and then adds, “Lovis became the ultimate ruler of the planet because she was the only one who did not hold any specific power. She had magic.”

“Magic and power?” Jeonghan says. “There’s a difference?”

“Of course,” Jihoon says. “Every Kind has a power to each of their own, but not all can possess magic. Lovis was a godly and magical being, and since she had no biases, she was then appointed as the fairest ruler. However, as time passed by, where the mortals and godly beings lived amongst each other, she fell in love with a Water Kind.

Of course, the other Creators then started questioning her rule. Some say that Queen Lovis went mad, while the others accused the Water Kind as a magical being who can manipulate ones’ actions and feelings. But the two just simply fell in love.

Many did not believe that their love was real, however, so Queen Lovis used all of her power to create soulmarks in order to prove that they were, in fact, real and in love. So, when people woke up with marks on their right wrists, their special Kind symbol and another of a Kin that isn’t their partner’s, everyone was so outraged that they did not trust the Queen anymore.

Over time, the Water Kin flourished, blessed with their soulmates. Eventually, the Creators has had enough and they overthrew the Queen by using all of their powers and magic. They banished her from the world along with her soulmate. But the soulmarks did not go away even during her absence. Soon, the Creators vanished, too. Some say that Queen Lovis did not really pass away. She just went back to her birthplace, which was in the heavens above. There, she lived with her soulmate and had cast a spell on the other Creators. Not just because they had betrayed her, but they cursed the Water Kin as well.”

Jeonghan instinctively touches his right wrist. “What kind of curse was it?”

“A limited population. The First War happened then. It resulted in the separation of the people and the land, which we call our Kingdoms now,” Jihoon answers. “The Water Kin’s territory stayed with us. And a limited population means most soulmates that involve a Water Kind won’t be able to reproduce and pass their powers onto their offsprings. It’s rare for a Water Kind to bear a child, but since you are here, it seems that your parents have succeeded.”

Jeonghan gulps, feeling his palm sweat. He has to know. He has the right to know. It’s a question his tongue isn’t unfamiliar to as he’s been asking it time after time—from the caretakers in the orphanage to any official that might help him find his missing parents. “Do you know where my parents are?”

Jihoon looks at him with an apologetic expression. “I’m so sorry,” he starts.

“The Second War…” Jisung trails, staring out the window. He has memories of it from an older predecessor.

“When the Second War happened,” Prince Jihoon says. “All members of the Water Kin fought in the frontlines against the neighboring Kingdom, Hilfheim. Many died, many survived but eventually died as well because of their injuries and preexisting diseases. As time passed by, the children were able to grow up as adults and managed to reproduce the best they can, but one day, all of them just suddenly disappeared—including you as an infant and your parents. It’s been more than six decades since.”

 

 

 

 

His parents were gone.

No, not gone per se, but disappeared. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he chooses to be optimistic, because at least, he had received an answer albeit indefinite rather than a question mark. It’s better than nothing, right?

He’s an adult already. When a worldwide doomsday has been announced and he had just been finishing the hydro electrical engine, his hopes of starting a family withered away. One would think that he’d avoid something he was deprived of as an infant, but instead, he yearned for giving children a loving home where they’d call him their Father. He might not know how to be a parent, but he could learn. Slowly.

It was what Seungcheol wished to do as well.

He tries not to think so much of his late friend, but his heart tells him not to—maybe because he was the only person who had ever touched it. They were supposed to attend the same college; supposed to live together once they’ve graduated from the orphanage, and maybe perhaps, fall in love.

They passed by the other Kin’s places, which are just as big as the Ground Kin’s cave, except in a more town-like format; Wind, Lightning, and Ice. The latter is the farthest as it needed a specific temperature to maintain its place. The Lightning Kin’s place is as commercialized as the Ground Kin’s city—it’s where most of their technology is being developed, while the Wind Kin preserved the Kingdom’s heritage whilst being in charge of manipulating the weather.

Jeonghan’s legs started to hurt from the cramped place, but the Prince and Jisung seemed to do just fine. The Royal Highness notices his discomfort and says, “Don’t worry, we’ll be getting off in a while. We’re nearing the Kingdom’s heart.”

“We’ll visit the Fire Kin’s place and your Kin’s place on our travel back,” Jisung says before he could ask. “Right now, we are going to visit the square in order to educate you more of our history and culture.”   

The Kingdom’s heart is divided into two places: the market and the square. Jisung tells him that the market is where the trade happens. There are flying ships in the sky, blasting off to another planet in order to get the spices they need. In the square is where people from different Kins gathered. The place offered a variety of shops, eateries and the like—it’s a bit crowded, but it’s enough for Jeonghan to be able to breathe freely. Jisung mentions a common school, too, where the young ones are taught how to properly use their powers.

“You don’t need to attend the academy,” Jisung says and he’s somewhat laughing at Jeonghan’s mild concern. He offers him a hand as he steps out of the carriage. The Prince comes out last. “You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”

“If you were to go to the school, then you’d start as a nursery,” Prince Jihoon inputs and the Mind Sorcerer laughs harder.

“Oh, Your Majesty! I really adore your sense of humor—”

The Prince glares at him. Jisung clears his throat.

They then proceed to walk towards a tall building, which is only a few corners from where they were. As they passed by, people bowed and stared—mostly at him, probably, because the Kingdom is too close-knitted that all would be able to identify which faces were new or old. The Prince greets all of them back with a wave that stayed up in the air until they’ve arrived at their destination.

“The Kingdom Library,” Jisung introduces. “Every single living book on the planet—we have it here.”

“I had it reserved for us for today, so you don’t need to worry about people barging in,” Jihoon says. He then flicks his wrist, Jeonghan jumping in surprise as the huge doors opened.

The Prince enters first. Jisung followed while Jeonghan stayed where he stood.

Jisung turns around and says with a gentle voice, “There’s an expert waiting for us inside. Here, you will learn about your soulmark and what it means.”

 

 

☆

 

“Oh Lovis, he looked very cool! It’s my first time seeing someone do stuff with water!” Chan gushes. He has a habit of talking very fast as he is in running when he’s excited. “I want to meet him soon! We’re going to be friends with him, right?”

“Can he build swimming pools for us, then?” Seungkwan ponders. “It’s been so long since I’ve last had a swim, and it was in the Xulux river. I was ten!”

“Maybe he can if Mingyu just makes a hole in the ground. Then he can fill it with water. We don’t have to worry about shortages from now on!” Hansol says thoughtfully. “I suggest that we hold a contest with who can hold their breaths the longest underwater.”

“That’s unfair!” Chan whines. “You’re a Wind Kind. You can breathe underwater!”

“But I’m not going to make an air bubble or anything like that!”

“Hey, I want to join, too!” Minghao chimes in. “I’m totally going to beat Mingyu.”

“I never said I was joining,” Mingyu says, talking with his mouth full of sliced steak. “I don’t even know how to swim.”

“If you all stay long underwater, you’re all going to lose your breaths and die,” Wonwoo says as a matter-of-factly. “And we have a war to fight.” 

“It’s official. You all are toddlers.” Junhui says.

“No, we’re just taking a break from a very extensive practice,” Chan defends himself. “Plus, General thinks the Savior is cool, too, right? We don’t have to make a trip to the Ground City to swim since we have him now. We’ll have an instant swimming pool.”

“Seungcheol,” Jisoo calls softly. They are perched by the shade of the training grounds, right where the low spectator seats are. If the Prince were here, the place would have more crowd as the castle staff would fan the Prince, following him with an umbrella as he moved around—but he isn’t here. The sun has dimmed coolly. The Coterie members aren’t sweat-drenched with heat anymore but from mere training. “What’s wrong?”

Seungcheol is the head of the Kingdom’s offensive. He’s better known as General Choi: feared by many but still respected. His uniform is red, in accordance with his Kin’s color, shoulders padded with golden-fringed epaulets; short collar standing as its ends run a small V until the space between his collarbones. He stands up and yells, “Back to sparring, everyone! The usual pairs!”

“Something’s wrong,” Jisoo corrects himself after everyone had scrambled to where they left off before taking a break. “What is it?”

“Think about it,” Seungcheol starts. He watches Mingyu and Junhui pair up against Hansol and Wonwoo. “Word’s out that the Savior has arrived. That would give Hilfheim more reason to hold an earlier attack. Our Coterie is now completed, but theirs isn’t.”

“The reason why the Prince is welcoming him warmly is to make him feel at home. Should there be a chance for Hilfheim to bargain with him, the Savior would choose to stay with us. This is his real home after all. He used to be just a figure in a Prophecy, but now he’s here. We have hope.”

“They would do anything to have him join their side. And he can’t fight for us just yet—he still doesn’t know how to control his powers.”

_“Which is why I want you to train him.”_

Seungcheol turns around at the familiar voice.

“Your Majesty,” Seungcheol greets, bowing with his right hand on his left chest. Jisoo does the same. “You’re back early.”

“That I am,” Jihoon confirms. The Coterie members have stopped their sparring session to take a closer look at the person behind the Prince. He then says, “Sir Yoon Jeonghan, please step forward.”

Seungcheol notices the man beside Jisung, who stared at the latter in worry. He focuses his gaze on the Savior and feels something blow his heart—somehow it hurt more than how his soulmark burned. Just a few weeks ago, he had stood hidden by one of the tunnels of the amphitheater, watching him activate his powers. Back then, when his soulmark appeared—his own symbol and a water droplet, he had accepted that he was one of the unlucky ones that would never have the chance to meet their soulmate.

But he’s here—the only surviving Kind from the Water Kin.

“You…” Jeonghan’s hands shook, and Seungcheol is taken aback from the sudden tears that flowed from his eyes.

Everyone’s staring, including the Castle staff who had rushed to aid the Prince. Jisung, who has the power to read minds, gasps as he picks up the message. “No way…”

 _“Seungcheol?”_ Jeonghan says.

 

 

 

 

_There was once an old folklore that said your soulmate keeps their name from their last life if you two never had the chance to start your love._

 

 

☆

 

 

“Your Majesty!” A soldier calls, running down the aisle, kneeling in front of where the Prince of Hilfheim sat. The advisors and other higher-ups in the throne room stare at the soldier with distaste. They were in the middle of discussing a weaponry bargain with an ambassador from the hybrid planet, Vetia.

“How dare you interrupt an important meeting—” the ambassador says, looking the most human anyone has ever seen from their planet. His back is permanently hunched, tongue flicking every second, skin scaly. He charges to where the mere soldier is but is halted by the Prince.

“Remember Sir Hutrazik, you are in my Kingdom. You are not to touch one of my people. They shall be punished accordingly, should they deserve it,” the Prince says. The right side of his face is covered with a dark, rugged mask. His right eye shines brightly; pupil red, sclera black. Not only is he feared in his own Kingdom, but to other planets as well. His power transcends with such great magnitude that an entirely different specie cowers before him. “I will now ask you to leave the premises. We shall discuss this trade another day.”

The ambassador huffs as he scurries off with his other cronies, though he still managed to bow politely as a good bye. The Prince then turns to the soldier, “I hope you interrupted our time for a very good reason. I do hope that this good reason will be enough for me to spare your life.”

“The Savior has arrived!” The soldier blurts. “There were talks amongst the people in the black market. He is in Silfheid Kingdom as we speak.”

Prince Soonyoung rises from his seat. “Everyone, leave.”

They don’t move. “Your Majesty…” one of his advisors say.

“ _Leave!”_ Prince Soonyoung shouts. All of the staff make their way out of the room. He flicks his wrist and shuts the door so hard that the potteries and ornaments trembled. He descends down the flight of stairs from his throne, passing through the sunlight that filtered from the glass ceiling above. He walks down the aisle and touches the heart of the wall aglow. It is the memorabilia of the King.

“Do not worry, Father. I will avenge you and destroy Silfheid…their kingdom, their people, their Coterie…and their Prince.”  

 

 


End file.
